I SAW YOU
MR. B: I am sorry and I love you. I am pretty sure you know where I am located. I am waiting with open arms and an open heart.
TOOL CONCERT ROW N, SECTION 221: I'm feeling pretty embarrassed that three of my last posts were submitted. I thought that only the last one would be printed. OK, here I go again. We didn't exchange names, which is a bummer, I don't remember what you look like. I'm curious. Coffee?
CHEERS
THE MOST REGRESSIVE TAX: Our sales tax is already incredibly high. Sales tax is also a form of taxation that disproportionately and unfairly affects the working class. Because many of us are working 40+ hours per week but still living paycheck to paycheck that means a higher percentage of our total earnings are being taxed compared to people who make more money and can afford to save. Let's not increase our own taxes. Let's not build a bigger jail for homeless people and nonviolent offenders (apparently they let the violent ones out regardless).
THANK YOU, RESTORATION CHURCH: Albeit late, a huge thank you to the pastor at Restoration Church on Sunset and his family during the Aug. 3 evacuation in Finch Arboretum and West Hills. They provided a safe, convenient rally point, connected with first responders, and provided water and cool building. My mom and I appreciated it very much. Thank you again!
MAKE A FREE LEFT: Kudos to the driver of the Lexus four-door dark colored sedan who actually made a free left at the red light on Garland Avenue to Ash Street on Nov.1 at 4:20 pm! Wow! You and I are one of the few who know you can make a free left on a red light from a two-way street to a one-way! Drivers — you can actually ease the flow of traffic if you do this unless there is a sign that says "No turn on red." (The other intersection people have no clue is Francis Avenue, heading west, turning left onto Ash.)
RE: LOGIC IS MISSING & ODE TO A MAYOR: Thank you so much, both of you for your insightfulness.
SPOKANE GRAFFITI: Cheers to all the "artists" who make such beatiful art work out of structures around Spokane such as the Greene Street Bridge and the new support structures for the North Spokane Corridor (north-south freeway) as it's continuing to be built. The work is so amazing that it equates to some of the best work one sees in other cities. Some of the really great work is also seen on barriers that attempt to keep people out of work zones. The last time I saw art work as incredible as the graffiti around Spokane it was from my 4-year-old niece. Congratulations, artists! Just beautiful. You're a real class act.
WHITWORTH JAZZ: WOW! Whitworth Jazz Ensemble: Your recent concert was fabulous. I was honored to witness such a wide range of technical styles and well-executed tunes with wide smile-inducing results. Thank you for sharing your talents and clear love of music with us. Can't wait to attend another!
KINDNESS MATTERS: To the lovely lady at Walters Ranch, Oct. 22, 2023, who was collecting money and checking parking passes. Thank you for being a genuinely beautiful, compassionate, and understanding human being. I did not deserve your kindness, yet you gave it freely and abundantly. I thank you for impacting my life and day for good. I will never forget the moment we shared, and I appreciate you more than you will ever know.
MORE THAN A HEALING FLIGHT: I was one of the Veterans selected to go on the Honor Flight a few weeks ago. I was extremely impressed with the coordination of the project. We are talking about literally a "whirlwind" (39 hours) trip to Washington, D.C., and back. I want to give a special thanks to all of the individuals who made my trip and 100 other Veterans the opportunity to experience this. While for most, touching the Vietnam memorial is special. For others like me, touching it was a healing experience I will never ever forget. I also want to thanks the folks who met us at both airports and gave us a warm welcome. I wish I could have experienced this decades ago. Because of the Honor Flight, I actually feel like I have finally come home. Thank you.
PORCELAIN IS CLASSY: All the cafes offering their coffee in porcelain cups, not only is it less waste, but it makes your cafe more classy. It is more pleasant to drink coffee from porcelain instead of a paper cup with or without a plastic lid. There are fewer aromatic interferences, the feel of the porcelain on the lips is smoother, and it is more pleasant to look at porcelain. Serving a customer's coffee in porcelain subtly says something very classy. It says, Stay here and drink your coffee as a guest. Why do I see so many paper cups on the tables of the cafes and in the trash cans of the cafes?
HOT TODDY'S FRANCIS OCT. 29: Thanks for buying my drink! For today it's Go Packers! Lol you made my day!
TO DELTA AIR BAGGAGE MANAGER TYLER: This outstanding young man went far out of his way to help retreive international luggage that was stranded at Sea-Tac while the owners were home in Europe without them. They were not forwarded to their international flight and were in jeparody of being lost forever. He got in touch with the right people, (which is impossible for the public to reach) and facilitated the bags' safe return. Thank you, Tyler, you saved a family vacation!
BEING HUMAN: When helping a woman with her payment for food while checking out at Walmart or when buying lunch at River Park Square for a homeless man, I didn't think of relating these incidents to anyone because I knew that I was giving kindness to another human. When I see that I can help in those ways, I will. My belief is that all of mankind was put here to provide kindness to those in need, in our own way.
JEERS
TREE CUTTERS: Jeers to Spokane's urban forestry initiative! An increased canopy goal as outlined by the PLANT ordinance is an honorable thing. However, that starts by protecting the city's extant old growth. On my street alone in the past year, five mature trees have been removed without thought or consequence. No amount of saplings can make up for the benefits those trees provided. Why has Spokane not put protection in place, especially in areas targeted for high density housing growth!?
HEADLIGHTS! Check the bulbs and use your headlights! It hard to see vehicles with non-working or unused headlights!
ONE NATION UNDER CANADA: Our Constitution grants us freedom of and from religion. We can choose to worship or not to worship. Many elected officials don't get that last part. Nor do they get we're a diverse nation and will always be diverse. As a Christian, I'm worried about the breach in the wall separating church and state. Democracy and theocracy do not mix. Even if these so-called Christians didn't reject the teachings of Christ, it's still a danger to anyone who values freedom.
PERIOD: There is no one in the entire world more coddled than the American employer. Period.
REALLY? Why indeed is mayor the worst job in Spokane? Maybe because the weekly newspaper publishes ugly caricatures of the two female candidates on its cover, instead of addressing the issues that matter.
SIDELINE EXTREMISTS: For those who love guns so much — go live in Mogadishu. You'll get your fill and a first-hand look at what people have to live with when government is indifferent and ill-equipped to handle overwhelmed communities and gunmen are let to run loose. There are spots in the Middle East that might be fun for you, too. Arm everyone to the teeth, and let the glorified gangs fight it out in the streets. This is the future we are creating for our children and grandchildren if we don't reverse course. It's long past time to send extremists packing. To sideline them and ignore their lies. Guns to protect people? Who can believe that when they're being used to kill kids in schools and gun down families at bowling alleys and shopping malls?
MAKING MONEY OFF THE HOMELESS: Jeers to the founder of one of the biggest "nonprofits" in town for paying my drug dealer with donated items from the community. You smoked meth with us, quit lying to all of Spokane. Your organization is just organized crime.
RANDOM ACT OF ANGST: You: an unknown stranger who bought our dinner at a Mexican restaraunt. What have you done? Now I have an obligation to pass this on to someone else. They may do likewise. When will it ever end? I also now have a feeling of "gratitude." That is NOT normal in today's America. And because you bought my dinner, it's hard to dislike your politics, cultural stance, or ethnicity. You are forcing friendliness. I am left defenseless, adrift, and humbled. ♦
